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(18 traveller reviews)

A wonderful vacation apartment!

The apartment is located high on a hill overlooking the Tonbach valley. The views are stunning and the location perfect for a quiet, relaxing getaway. The pictures in the rental listing do not really do the location justice. It is spectacular.

During our stay in late June we found the whole area to be quiet and uncrowded with even the most popular Black Forest destinations almost deserted.

Typically we would drive to the small Edeka supermarket (3 minutes away) and stock up on some simple food and groceries which we would then prepare in the spotlessly clean and nicely equipped kitchen. On other days we would eat at outdoor cafes and restaurants in one of the nearby villages.

Baiersbronn is not a bustling tourist hub, but it is a very good base from which to explore and enjoy the many surrounding towns and villages. Be ready for some adventurous mountain driving though. Getting almost anywhere will require you to negotiate the Swatzwaldhauptstrasse (Black Forest high road).

The Rinkenturm apartment is almost beyond reproach. Spotlessly clean, quite well equipped and with beds for 4, we found it extremely comfortable. We also thought that it offered remarkable value for money.

We loved the clean, modern and functional apartment, (this is Germany, of course everything works and works perfectly) the spectacular country location and the wonderful walks that started right at the front door and led all over this hiker's heaven.

The only very slight negatives were the sluggish Internet speeds (but to some extent that is the price you pay for being out in the country) and the orientation of the building which meant that those wonderful views could not be fully appreciated without standing on tip-toe, or walking down to the road. Apartments on a lower floor have windows, not skylights and this should not be an issue.

Overall a very solid five stars.

Visitors from outside of Germany would do well to research the German rubbish/trash/recycling regulations. The owners provided clear instructions, but still it is a complex business. At one time we joked that it would be easier to mail our trash home :) This is true of anywhere in Germany of course, it is not a criticism of this lovely apartment.

Wonderful apartment and wonderful stay

We rented the Weidenberg apartment for a week and it was just perfect. It was immaculately clean. It had wonderful views from the front and the back. There is attention to detail throughout the apartment. We stayed with our 2 children (15, 12) and our dog. Each day was a great hiking adventure even when it rained. From the door it is a 2km hike to the Sattelei Hutte for a great lunch or just a beer and from there you can turn it into a bigger hike to the Rinkenturm or just meander back to the apartment. There are many excellent hikes from there or a short drive from there. Grocery store (Edeka) is a 5 min drive. Birgit was excellent at giving advice on where to eat and provided us with the Black Forest passes that allowed free entry to many places. We used it for the Naturbad in Mitteltal and at minigolf and the Hauff's museum. There is many more uses for it too. This is a perfect apartment for a family of 4 and a beautiful location both from the front door and for many daytrips in the area.

Review Submitted: Aug 26, 2014

Date of Stay: Aug 2014

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Hello,
it is a perfect description of our apartments and our Region.
Thank you so much.
Many greetings from Black Forest
Roland and Birgit Frey

Excellent apartment, excellent location.

Having had many holidays in Germany my family & I were looking forward to a relaxing time in the Black Forest. We were greeted by the owner upon arrival and at once we knew we had found a gem. The location is fabulous, walks, play parks (when you have a 3 year old, essential), restaurants and shops all close by. Apartment is well appointed, clean, owner next door if you have any questions, can't think of anything to fault it. Baiersbronn is full of hotels with excellent restaurants and spas. It is no surprise this area is extremely popular with Germans.

Discovering the delights of Schwarzwald

Our first visit to the Black Forest as a family of four with two children aged eleven and eight years. The apartment complex itself was spotlessly clean and thoroughly well-maintained. The owners, Roland and Birgit, couldn't have been more helpful and were extremely friendly. The surrounding area of Tonbach is absolutely beautiful with amazing views from all around the complex. The facilities of the apartment were first rate and also the availability of a table tennis table and the 'swing with a view' for the children to play with in the beautifully manicured garden were wonderful for use whilst 'at home'. There are many amazing walks from the apartment into Tonbach and the surrounding area, including a walk up into the forest to Sattelei, which is highly recommended. The local restaurants serve the most delicious food and are mostly reasonably priced. A favourite of ours being Cafe Eickler in Tonbach. During our stay the weather was very hot so the mineral pool in Mitteltal was visited regularly. Cycle hire from Mitteltal is also highly recommended for cycling around such a stunning area. A day trip along the beautiful Schwarzwaldhochstraße into Baden-Baden is also very much recommended in order to fully appreciate the amazing forest scenery. A German dictionary, if required, is a must as there is limited spoken English in the surrounding area. However everybody we came into contact with were extremely friendly which also helped make our holiday so special. Overall the combination of our excellent hosts, Roland and Birgit, the friendliness of the local people, the meticulously clean and well-presented apartments and the stunning scenery have helped make this holiday one of our most memorable. Of only one recommendation would be to have a translated list of recycling instructions in order to maintain the high standards of cleanliness within the apartment complex. Also thank you to Roland and Birgit for the kind gesture of a gift celebrating my wife's 40th birthday whilst on holiday. This holiday has definitely encouraged us to explore the beautiful Schwarzwald further.

Back to Nature in the Black Forest

Our family (2 adults with 15 and 11 year-old children) arrived at the property after an ardous 12 hour drive from southern England through the worst rain I've driven in. We were delighted, therefore, when Roland showed us around the Sattellei apartment. The living area was very spacious, light and airy, and the whole apartment was spotlessly clean. Cleanliness is a very high priority to the owners and it showed.

Our front balcony gave a lovely view over farmland to the forest (with just a very few houses in view), whilst the view from the bedroom balcony was over the valley itself. Although the opposite side of the valley is more built-up it was only by Black Forest standards and still gave a lovely view.

The kitchen was small but very well equipped and there was a comfortable sofabed in the lounge, which our 15 year old used after night one when her brother's snoring from the bottom bunk bed kept her awake all night!

The location is very quiet, punctuated only by the sound of a very occasional passing car, the moo of a cow, or a friendly 'hallo' from a passing hiker.

The area is ideal for hikers and cyclists with miles of peaceful trails through the forest, many leading to or passing by hikers' huts such as Sattelei and Pudelstein, that serve great food and drinks.

Tonbach and Baiersbronn are home to 3 Michelin starred restaurants (2 with 3 stars!) but these were unfortunately out of our modest price range. When eating in Baiersbronn I could recommend the Italian-Turkish place in the square behind the Tourist Info office. Nice people and good food.

A larger selection of restauarants, bars and upmarket shops can be found in Freudenstadt, which is only a 10 km drive away.

We visited Baden-Baden on a rainy day, but it's a very nice town with good shops. I would recommend a trip to the waterfall in Triberg. A really lovely place.

It's worth noting that not only does the Schwarzwald Guest Card get you discounts in certain places (e.g. Triberg) but it also entitles you to FREE travel on the local public transport (buses and trains). So you can give the car a holiday, too!

In summing up, our apartment was a credit to our hosts, Roland and Birgit, and is a perfect base for those wanting to put the rat-race on hold and get back into nature, whether on foot or on 2 wheels.

Short break to the Balck Forest

My parents and I stayed in this apartment during the October half-term break and found that exceeded our expectations.

The description and illustrations contained within this website is very accurate. We found it accommodated the three of us very adeqately in terms of space, layout and facilities. It is located a small distance from the town of Baiersbronn and in close proximity to a number of excellent restaurants and scenic attractions: everything for those on holiday without being spoiled by being over-commercialised. The town has a couple of supermarkets and a variety of shops (but the whole place closes on a Sunday - quite rightly!). There is a variety of eating places within driving distance, from fine dining to cosy inns and bars. The tourist office in the town is very helpful in providing recommendations.

Considering our arrival well after midnight, we received a warm welcome from Herr Frey. Our hosts left us very much alone to lead our holiday as we wished and without undue 'interference' or 'monitoring'; however, we knew that assistance was at hand next door should we require it.

The apartment was exceptionally clean and well maintained and seemed to us to be very new. We were surprised to learn that it had been converted 15 years ago. Careful maintenance and refurbishment has ensured that the property provides a very high degree of comfort and retains an attractive 'alpine' feel. The balcony provided delightful views over the valley below and the garden was a suntrap (we were lucky considering the time of year).

Included with the apartment is the local 'guest card' which offered the three of us unlimited bus and train travel within the Black Forest - exceptional value. We used it for a day trip to Freiburg and to Baden-Baden. The local stationmaster was very helpful in providing itineraries.

We do not hesitate to recommend this property to our friends and to others reading this website.